Addicted to your smartphone? Blue-light blocking glasses may help you sleep better

Blue-light emitted by digital devices may affect your sleep and cause sleep dysfunction, finds a recent study.

Do you snuggle up with your smartphone or watch TV from the comfort of your bed? Researchers have found that the blue-light emitted by digital devices may affect your sleep and cause sleep dysfunction.

The largest source of blue light is sunlight, but it’s also found in most LED-based devices. Blue light boosts alertness and regulates our internal body clock or circadian rhythm, which tells our bodies when to sleep.

This artificial light activates photoreceptors called intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs), which suppresses melatonin.

Lead researcher of the study recommends limiting screen time, applying screen filters, wearing computer glasses that block blue light or use anti-reflective lenses to offset the effects of artificial light at night-time.

Blue light boosts alertness and regulates our internal body clock or circadian rhythm, which tells our bodies when to sleep.

“By using blue blocking glasses we are decreasing input to the photoreceptors, so we can improve sleep and still continue to use our devices,” said Lisa Ostrin, assistant professor at the University of Houston.

The results showed about 58% increase in their night time melatonin levels, the chemical that signals your body that it’s time to sleep. Wearing activity and sleep monitors 24 hours a day, the study participants also reported sleeping better, falling asleep faster and even increased their sleep duration by 24 minutes a night, Ostrin said.

Follow @htlifeandstyle for more